1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a fire escape in the form of a housing, particularly for use in a high-rise building, being on fire, within which occupants and vistors are trapped, and only capable of escaping through a nearby window in the building. The housing, which is collapsible for storage, may be unfolded within the building in the case of fire, and hooked on to a hinge-like mount, prefixed outside but adjacent a window of the building, through which the housing with escaping people may be swung to a suspended position adjacent the outside wall of the building, where the escaping people then may wait for rescue.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The following U.S. patents constitute the prior art relevant to the disclosure underlying this application, as known to applicant:
U.S. Pat. No.: 284,180; BURGHARDT, 1883; PA1 U.S. Pat. No.: 300,090; LARSON, 1884; PA1 U.S. Pat. No.: 487,395; MANNHEIM, 1892; PA1 U.S. Pat. No.: 495,503; MARTIN, 1893; PA1 U.S. Pat. No.: 3,931,868; SMITH, 1976.
The above patents were developed in a search conducted in class 182, subclasses 47, 56, 57, 62, 70, 76, 82 and 150.
Mannheim discloses a device stored in and brought out of a recess in the outer wall of a building, requiring an escaping person to step out of a window into a narrow platform and then into a bag, which is lowered to the ground.
However, none of the above cited patents, including Mannheim, discloses a structure comparable to applicant's invention.